Sandy Knocks Out Power Across Pennsylania

October 29, 2012 | 3:58 PM

UPDATE: The AP is reporting that as of 6:50 PM, more than 200,000 people have lost power. Check StateImpact Pennsylvania tomorrow morning for a full update on power outages.

At 5:30 on Monday afternoon, more than 44,800 Pennsylvanians have lost power. The total is expected to increase overnight, as Sandy’s winds pick up.

More than 26,000 PECO customers are without power. That’s far more than any other utility, which isn’t surprising considering all but one of PECO’s counties are in southeast Pennsylvania, where Sandy hit the hardest this afternoon.

Here’s a breakdown of how many PECO customers are powerless, as of 5:30 Monday afternoon:

County

Total, 5:30 PM

Philadelphia

1,132

Delaware

4,007

Bucks

12,234

Montgomery

4,218

Chester

4,021

York

1,031

Source: PA Public Utility Commission

PECO spokeswoman Jenny Wittman says the utility expects a lot more outages as Hurricane Sandy intensifies. 2,000 employees are still out in the field, and the crews include out-of-state workers from as far away as Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky and Louisiana.

In a statement, PPL vice president David Bonenberger said it may take more than a week to fix outages. “We’re working around the clock, and we’ve arranged for more than 1,600 additional outside personnel who will help with damage assessment and outage restoration,” he said. “Nearly all of those additional workers are already here, with more on the way.”

There’s no central public hub tracking every power outage in Pennsylvania, but each utility does provide its own online map. Click on the links below to see how many of each providers’ customers are without power.

The major utilities have called in out-of-state workers to assist with restoring power. According to the governor’s office, PECO has brought in 1,100 workers from Chicago, PPL has called in 1,500 workers from Kentucky, and First Energy has more than 150 workers coming from Ohio.

“Are we overhyping this? Absolutely not,” said Pennsylvania Utility Commission chairman Robert Powelson. “This event is going to have a profound impact on our utility footprints.”

Gov. Corbett said even Election Day is a concern right now, as officials ponder the possibility the power grid might not be fully restored by next Tuesday.

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StateImpact Pennsylvania is a collaboration between WITF and WHYY. Reporters Marie Cusick and Susan Phillips cover the fiscal and environmental impact of Pennsylvania’s booming energy economy, with a focus on Marcellus Shale drilling. Read their reports on this site, and hear them on public radio stations across Pennsylvania. This collaborative project is funded, in part, through grants from the Heinz Endowments and William Penn Foundation.